Awards show honors everything Asbury Park music scene has to offer

Russ DeSantis/For The Star LedgerEmily Whitt of No Wine for Kittens, who were named best indie band at the Asbury Music Awards show Sunday at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park.

Americana was the big winner at the 2011 Asbury Music Awards show, with roots-rockers River City Extension and the Amboys earning multiple honors and the standout performance coming from Thomas Wesley Stern and his band.

Now in its 19th year, the show brings together the full spectrum of the Jersey Shore’s music scene, from guitar-strumming folk artists to quirky indie rockers and screaming metal bands. Produced by the Asbury Music Company and the Saint rock club, it began as a small get-together at the old T-Birds Café and has grown over the years into a seven-hour event drawing hundreds of fans and musicians. It was held this year at the Stone Pony on Sunday.

The show always seems to deliver at least one breakout performance; last year it was the pairing of blues diva Eryn Shewell with the young roots-rock band Outside the Box. This year, the set of the night came from Stern, who also won best male acoustic act honors. Stern and his band — which included guitarists, a banjoist, a stand-up bassist and a multi-instrumentalist who played harmonica and clarinet — delighted the crowd with a mash-up of folk melodies, bluegrass harmonies and country swing. Members of the Accidental Seabirds joined Stern & Co. for their last song, “Put My Whiskey Away,” a rollicking country stomper that the two bands recently recorded together. (It’s scheduled to be released before the end of the year.)

Stern’s performance set the tone for much of the night, as many of the awards went to bands with an alt-Americana twist to their sound. C.M. Smith of the Amboys was named best male vocalist and his group won best rock band, while River City Extension of Toms River took the honors for best live performance, best local release and best Americana, and the band’s guitarist-percussionist Nick Cucci was named best multi-instrumentalist. Tommy Strazza of the rootsy Anthony Walker & the Medicine Chest won best guitarist.

WBJB-FM (90.5 The Night) deejay Jeff Raspe was a cordial and effective emcee, keeping the program running ahead of schedule for most of the night while escorting presenters, award winners and performers on and off the stage. “These awards have been going on now longer than some of the people in this room have been on Earth,” he joked, “and that makes me feel really old.”

Nick Clemons, son of the late E Street Band legend Clarence Clemons, was on hand to help present one of the awards, and the Stone Pony audience enjoyed an early listen to “No Words,” a new single featuring Nick and Clarence that is due to be released next week.

The evening’s performances ran the gamut of the Shore’s multifaceted music scene, starting with an impressive performance by 11-year old guitar prodigy Little Jimmy and teenage singer-songwriter Emily Grove (who also performed a duet with folksinger Joe Miller during his set). The under-21 band the New Royalty roused the house with an energetic set of Paramore-like Radio Disney-ready pop. Toothgrinder played ear-blasting screamo, while Scarlet Carson offered a different style of heavy rock: an updated take on ’80s hair-metal.

Only Living Boy of Hackettstown — whom Raspe cited as an example of musicians from another part of the state being embraced by Asbury audiences — delivered a solid set of blues-based classic rock, and the best indie band winner, No Wine for Kittens (featuring longtime Asbury scenester Rick Barry), followed with a mellow set of earnest pop-rock. Bluesman Matt O’Ree and his band ended the night.

Other honorees included Fish Tank Mafia (best young band) and Dan Weeks (poet laureate). The Aquarian Weekly swept the media categories (best news publication, best music journalist, best music website). Maria Mar of 95.9 FM The Rat was named best radio personality and 90.5 The Night won best radio-internet station.

“It feels really good to win an award like this in a room full of your friends,” said Quincy Mumford, whose Quincy Mumford & the Reason Why won best pop band. “These are the people we play for and the musicians we play with all year, so it really feels like an honor.”